Rotary meter



(No Model.)

S. SHAW.

ROTARY METER.

Patented Sept. 30 1884.

Wkqasses. S1 II /EI- MJK N. PETERS. Pholc-Lflhegraphen Washington. D, C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT Oriana.

SUMNER SHAV, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROTARY METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,763, dated September 310, 1884.

Application filed February 20, 1584. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SUMNER SHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ater-Meters; and I do hereby declare that the same are fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in wateraneters, and it is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings where- Figure 1 represents a plan view of the in vention. Fig. 2 represents a central longitudinal section on the line A B shown in- Fi 1. Fig. 3 represents a cross-section on the line 0 D shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 represents a detail view of one of the hinged wings on the rotary 1neter-wheel, as will hereinafter be more fully shown and described.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

a is the shell or case, closed at the bottom, as shown in Fig. 2, and'having a cover, a, screwed onto its upper end or'otherwise secured thereto perfectly watertight, in a suitable or equivalent manner. lVithin the shell 0, about midway from its top and bottom or at any other suitable distance from the upper end of said shell, I locate a diaphragm or horizontal division-wall, b, and at a little distance below it a similarhorizontal division-wall, b, as shown in Fig. 2; and in practice I prefer to cast the said walls in one piece with the cyl iuder b that is soldered to or otherwise secured perfectly water-tight to the interior of shell (1, as shown in Fig. 2. By means of said walls I) b, the shell a is divided in, an upper compartment, a, which I term the meterchamber, and alower compartment, a, which I'term the receiving-chamber. The two walls I) and Z) are united by means of the hollow pipe or cylinder ,1), through which the water is forced from the receiving chamber a into the meter-chamber a, and said hollow pipe or cylinder If is located at a suitable distance from the center of the division-walls b I), so as to properly conduct the water to the rotary meter wheel, hereinafter to be described. \Vithin the hollow pipe I)" I arrange a spiral conductor, 1), that is secured in a suitable manner to the interior of the pipe If, as shown in Fig. 2, and in practice I prefer to extend said spiral conductor I) somewhat below the lower division-wall, b, as shown in said Fi 2. The said spiral conductor Z) serves for the purpose of concentrating the force of the water pressed upward from receiving-chamber a, and to direct and guide the stream of water in a steady flow against the meter-wheel when water is being drawn. A central recess, If, is made in the divisionwall 7), in which I prefer to secure the step or bearing 1), made of glass or other suitable hard and anti-frictional material, in which the lower end of the meterwheel spindle c is supported. a is a suitable socket or recess on the under side of cover a, and it serves as a bearing for the upper end of the said spindle c, as shown in Fig. 2. To the spindle c, in close proximity to the divisioirwall Z), is socured the rotary meter-wheel, and this is composed of a hub, d, secured to spindle c, and an annular ring, (1, secured to hub d by means of radial. rods or wires (1 d, to which are hinged the respective wings d d, as shown in Figs. 3 and l. The radial arms or wires (1, with their hinged wings d, are located as close to the upper side of wall I) as is con- 1 sistent with the free motion of the said meter-wheel. Each wing cl is preferably made wide enough to slightly overlap the next one, although any other equivalent means may be employed to serve as a lower stop or rest for the said hinged wings'd. I prefer to provide the ring (1 in its upper end with an inwardly-projecting annular stop-flange, d, as shown in Fig. at, or with similar projections, to limit the swinging motion of the wings d in their upward motions when acted on by the force of the water through cylinder 1).

To the upper end of spindle c is secured a small pinion, c, that engages with a spur-gear, 0, attached to spindle c, that passes through a suitable bearing in cover a, and is connected by means of worms or gears or other equivalent or well-known intermediate connecting mechanism to the indexes, by means of which the consumption of the water is ascertained and registered. shell a is made a perforation, a, that is normally closed. by means of a screw-plug, a", or

Through the lower end of equivalent device, and when the latter is removed the perforation a serves for the purpose of allowing the grit and sediment that accumulates in the receiving-chamber a to be washed out and to escape as may be required from time to time.

f represents the water-supply pipe, and in practice I prefer to provide it with branches f and f communicating, respectively, with branches and a leading to receiving-chan1- her a" and from meter-chambera, as shown in Fig. 2. a

f and f" are suitable screw-couplings 011 the respective branches f and f to effect watertight joints at said parts.

9 is a strainer attached to the end of branch. a to prevent, as near as is possible, grit and sediments, &c., from entering the chamber a".

I do not wish to confine myself to the exact arrangement of having supply-pipe f on one side of the shell a, as I may, if so desired, connect the said supply-pipe directly to chamber a and attach an independent delivery-pipe to the meter-chamber a, if required.

The operation of the invention is as follows: As the water is being drawn through and from supply-pipe f, a portion of it enters through openings f a leading to receiving-chambera, from which it is conducted in a concentrated and even flow through pipe b and its internal spiral guide, 1)", against the under side of the meter-wheel, causing its wings (1, one after another, to rise to allow the water to enter the meter-chamber a, and in so doing causing the said meter-wheel to revolve in a corre sponding proportion to the amount of water that is being drawn and the pressure of the liquid. As the meter-wheel continues to rotate, and the meter-chamber a being filled, the water is forced out through the openings a f, leading to the upper end of supply-pipe f, thus proper amount of water used may be read off and ascertained at a glance.

The apparatus is very simple, strong, and durable, and not liable to get out of order.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim 1. In a water-meter, the shell or case a, having receiving-chamber a", hollow cylinder b and spiral guide I), combined with the meter wheel, as described, having hinged wings d d and adapted to rotate upon the spindle a with in the meter-chamber a, substantially as set forth.

2. In a water-meter, the rotary meter-wheel composed of hub d, annular ring d, radial arms d d, and hinged wings d d", substantially as described.

3. In combination with the shell a, pipe I), spiral guide 6', and the rotary meter-wheel (Z d d d d, as described, the branches a a leading to supply-pipe], substantially as set forth, and for the purpose specified.

4. In a water-meter, the shell a and internal division-walls, b I), combined with hollow pipeb and its internal spiral guide, If, for the purpose of concentrating and directing the force of the waterproperly to the rotary meterwheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

v SUMNER SHAW. Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREA, HENRY OHADBOURN. 

